Why This Indicator is Important

Violence
and property crimes affect the quality of life in a community. Conversely, a
community’s capacity to develop and maintain strong systems of social
relationships may positively impact the rates of crime and delinquency. It is
critical that community members continue working together to achieve shared
values and solve social problems.

How Are We Doing?

There was a significant decrease in violent crimes between 2011 and 2013. How data was collected for aggravated assault and rape were changed in 2010--although there was still overall decrease in arrests across all crime. Violent crimes showed decreasing trends, with aggravated assault being the most frequent. The reasons for the decrease include the increase in police patrols, depopulation, and sharing of data across departments. Research shows that there is no exact explanation for crime rates decreasing nationwide.